LAS VEGAS — As an early voting state, Nevada remains a work in progress.
Winning here has yet to prove it can impact the outcome of the presidential nominating contest the way Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina can. But the Republicans’ 2016 primary is unfolding unpredictably and could still be a somewhat crowded affair by the time Nevada’s Feb. 23 caucuses roll around. That could provide Republican voters here with an opportunity be difference makers.
Part of that will depend on how well the Nevada Republican Party runs its presidential nominating caucus, only the second one it has ever organized.
On Tuesday, Gov. Brian Sandoval and Sen. Dean Heller sat for a joint interview with the Washington Examiner. In part one of the discussion, Nevada’s two senior Republicans discussed their fear that New York businessman and reality television star Donald Trump as the Republican presidential nominee in 2016 could spell electoral disaster at the polls for the GOP. Sandoval is neutral in the primary; Heller has endorsed former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.
In part two, they talked about Washington’s affect on the Nevada economy, what issues are resonating with likely GOP caucus-goers and whether concerns about radical Islamic terrorism has created a drag on the tourism industry in Las Vegas since the attacks in San Bernardino, Calif. The interview was edited for length and clarity.
Examiner: What are the top challenges facing Nevada that the next president might impact?
Sandoval: First and foremost is, Nevada is 86 percent federal land. One of our anchor tenant industries is mining. And so, obviously the federal government has a lot to say with regard to our mining industry. A frustration of mine is, permitting has gone from two years to eight years, the sage grouse issue with regard to — here was a decision not to list but the exclusion of a significant amount of 11 million acres in Nevada that affects the ability of mineral exploration.
So, every time, almost every time, there’s an issue we have to engage with the federal government, and I’d like to see a much better process in terms of expediting and doing what needs be done in terms of federal land. And I’d also like to see a systematic transfer of federal land in the state of Nevada; systematic and strategic to allow us to better have economic development in some of our communities. To make it easier on our ranchers, to make it easier on our agriculture industry, to make it easier on our mining industry and frankly to put Nevada in a position to better manage that land.
Examiner: Are you concerned that anxiety over homeland security and terrorism could hurt tourism?
Sandoval: I have the privilege of chairing our homeland security commission. Within three weeks is New Year’s, [and Las Vegas will have] as many or more people than will be in New York City. We’ll have, on the ground, 1,500 metro police officers. They’ve asked for additional resources from the National Guard so I’ve approved — not because there are any credible threats, but we want to make sure visitors here are safe and secure and the people that live here are safe and secure, so we do a good job. This is what we do in terms of making sure people have a safe experience when they come to Las Vegas — and the people that live here. But anything can happen, nobody predicted San Bernardino, nobody predicted Paris. But we have the resources here to handle it.
Heller: If it can happen in San Bernardino, it can happen anywhere. If it takes one phone call to shut down the L.A. school district, it just takes one phone call anywhere.
Examiner: Looking ahead to the caucuses, what issues are important to Nevada Republicans?
Heller: Terrorism and the economy, right now, are the two top issues nationwide, but here in Nevada. This freeway between Phoenix and Las Vegas — the freeway that extends all the way up to I-80, for economic growth, economic development, is just as pertinent, just as pertinent to making sure, long term, we have economic growth in this state.
Examiner: Are particular candidates piquing Republican voters’ interest?
Heller: Depends on what group you’re talking to. If I have a group of businessmen in one room, and we have a conversation, we’re talking about the future of Nevada, growth, economics and so on, they have a tendency of moving towards Trump. Surprisingly, they have a tendency of moving towards Trump because of his business background. Then if I go to a Republican men’s club or women’s club, and then I’ll give a speech and then the questions start coming, they have a tendency of leaning toward [Florida Sen. Marco] Rubio or [Texas Sen. Ted] Cruz. It’s fascinating, it just depends on which group you are talking to. Right now, when I’m with a business group, it’s Trump; when I’m with the Republican clubs, they have a tendency of moving towards Rubio or Cruz at this point.
Examiner: What does that tell you about where Nevada Republicans are politically at this point?
Heller: I think they’re just as confused as everyone else right now. I really do. They’re trying to figure this out. I think at some point people are going to come to their senses and realize we need real leadership. There’s no more important time in America’s history, right now [that has so required] the need for leadership.
Sandoval: Let me add on to that — jobs. I think that’s a universal issue. So I think, personally, and a lot of folks share this, is that I would like to see what they’re going to do to improve the economy and get people back to work. And one thing that Gov. Bush talked about is moving the Interior operations out west, that’s a great idea.
Examiner: Why do Republican primary voters seem so uninterested in the governors who are running for the GOP nomination?
Sandoval: It’s not over yet. I think it’s way premature that the voters have decided that they want somebody fresh and prefer not to have executive experience. You want somebody who’s had to wake up every morning and has to look people in the eye and make decisions that affect their lives. Governors go through a lot of natural disasters. These shootings we’ve had some of those historically in Nevada. We’ve confronted and had to deal with many of the issues that you would have to as president. So I think as time moves on you’re going to start to see that come through a little bit, more as we come closer to the primaries and the caucuses.
